General terms
The journal is committed to ensuring objectivity and transparency in the publication process. All participants – authors, reviewers, and editors – are required to declare any potential conflicts of interest. The aim of this policy is to prevent financial, professional, or personal interests from influencing research results or editorial decisions.
Information about conflicts of interest is published in a special note at the end of each article. If no conflicts are declared, the note states: “Conflict of interest: none declared.”
Conflicts of interest on the part of authors
Authors must disclose all circumstances that may be regarded as a conflict of interest when submitting a manuscript. This applies both to financial relationships (employment, fees, shareholding, patents) and to non-financial aspects such as personal connections, academic rivalry, ideological or religious beliefs.
Conflicts of interest on the part of reviewers
Reviewers are obliged to declare any circumstances that may affect their ability to provide an objective evaluation of a manuscript. Where financial or personal ties to the authors exist, where there is direct competition with their own research, or where other forms of bias are present, the reviewer must notify the editorial board and decline to review the manuscript.
Conflicts of interest on the part of editors
Editors must avoid situations in which their involvement in the review of a manuscript could be perceived as biased. If an editor has financial, personal, or academic ties with the authors, is affiliated with the same institution, or is a co-author of the article, they must withdraw from the review process. In such cases, the manuscript will be reassigned to another editor or to an independent expert.
Procedure
The editorial board guarantees transparency in the disclosure of all conflicts of interest. Adherence to this policy is mandatory for all participants in the publication process and is a prerequisite for maintaining academic integrity and objectivity in scientific communication.