The journal strives to ensure objectivity and transparency in the publication process, therefore all authors, reviewers and editors must declare potential conflicts of interest. This policy is designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing research results and the decision-making process regarding publication.

Conflicts of interest on the part of authors

Authors must disclose all possible conflicts of interest when submitting an article. This applies to both financial relationships, such as direct employment, fees, participation in companies or authorship of patents, and non-financial relationships, such as personal connections, academic rivalry, ideological or religious beliefs. All conflicts must be clearly identified so that readers can judge whether the authors may be subject to a particular bias and how this may have affected the work. A note stating ‘Conflict of interest’ will be published at the end of the article. If there is no conflict of interest, the note will state ‘None’.

Conflicts of interest on the part of reviewers

Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to objectively evaluate the manuscript. Reviewers must immediately notify the editorial board if:

1. They have financial or personal ties to the author(s) or organisations involved in the research.

2. There is direct competition between their own research and the manuscript they are reviewing.

3. There is a personal interest or bias (friendship, rivalry, etc.) that could affect the objectivity of the evaluation.

If a conflict is identified, reviewers must decline to review the manuscript.

Conflicts of interest on the part of editors

Editors are also required to declare potential conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to make unbiased decisions about articles. Editors should recuse themselves (step aside) from reviewing articles if:

1.They have financial, personal, academic, or other ties to the author(s) or organisation that could create a conflict of interest.

2. They are co-authors of the article or work at the same institution as the author(s).

3. Their participation in the process may be perceived as biased.

In such cases, the editor must transfer the article to another editor or engage an independent expert.

The journal guarantees transparency in the disclosure of conflicts of interest, which are published as a note at the end of each article. All participants in the publication process (authors, reviewers, editors) are required to adhere to this policy to ensure the integrity and objectivity of scientific communication.