The journal is committed to upholding the principles of objectivity, integrity, and transparency in the publication process. To this end, all participants – authors, reviewers, and editors – are required to declare any potential conflicts of interest in a timely manner. This policy is aimed not only at identifying such conflicts but also at effectively managing and eliminating them in order to prevent undue influence on research outcomes and editorial decisions.

Conflicts of interest on the part of authors

Authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission. These include both financial relationships (such as employment, honoraria, involvement in commercial entities, or patent authorship) and non-financial factors (including personal relationships, academic competition, or ideological or religious beliefs). Such circumstances must be clearly identified to ensure transparency and allow readers to assess any potential bias and its possible impact on the work.

Where a conflict of interest is identified, the editorial office may request additional clarification, require revisions to the manuscript, or, where necessary, reject the submission. All declared conflicts are published in a “Conflict of Interest” statement at the end of the article; if none exist, the statement will read “None”.

Conflicts of interest on the part of reviewers

Reviewers are required to promptly inform the editorial office of any circumstances that may compromise their ability to provide an objective assessment. This includes financial or personal relationships with the authors or affiliated organisations, direct academic competition, or any personal interest or bias.

If a conflict of interest exists, the reviewer must decline the review. Should a conflict become apparent after the review process has begun, the reviewer must immediately withdraw, and the manuscript will be reassigned to an independent reviewer. The editorial office ensures appropriate replacement to maintain the integrity of the process.

Conflicts of interest on the part of editors

Editors are likewise obliged to declare any conflicts of interest that may affect their impartiality. They must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where financial, professional, or personal relationships with the authors or their organisations may give rise to a conflict, including cases of co-authorship or institutional affiliation.

In such instances, the manuscript is reassigned to another editor or an independent expert. The journal may also involve external editors to ensure an unbiased evaluation.

Management and resolution of conflicts of interest

The journal employs a range of measures to minimise the impact of conflicts of interest:

• mandatory disclosure at all stages of the publication process;
• recusal of individuals with identified conflicts from decision-making;
• engagement of independent reviewers and editors;
• verification of disclosed information and, where necessary, requests for further clarification;
• issuance of corrections or retractions if undisclosed conflicts are identified post-publication.

The journal ensures full transparency in the disclosure of conflicts of interest by publishing relevant statements alongside each article. Compliance with this policy is mandatory for all participants and is essential for maintaining trust in scholarly communication and upholding high ethical standards.