The editorial board of the journal adheres to the principles of academic integrity and publication ethics and considers all complaints regarding potential violations in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics.
1. Submission of a Complaint
Complaints may be submitted by authors, reviewers, readers, or other interested parties in written form (via email to the editorial office).
A complaint should include:
a clear description of the alleged violation;
a reference to the relevant article or material;
supporting evidence, where available.
Anonymous complaints may be considered if they are supported by sufficient evidence.
2. Preliminary Assessment
The Managing Editor conducts an initial assessment of the complaint to determine its validity and relevance to the journal’s scope.
If necessary, members of the editorial board or independent experts may be involved.
3. Investigation
If the complaint is deemed to have sufficient grounds:
the author(s) will be informed about the nature of the complaint;
explanations will be requested from all parties involved;
relevant materials will be reviewed (manuscripts, peer review reports, underlying data, etc.).
The editorial board ensures objectivity, impartiality, and confidentiality throughout the process.
4. Decision-Making
Based on the results of the investigation, the editorial board may take one of the following actions:
reject the complaint if it is unfounded;
request corrections from the authors (corrigendum);
retract the article in cases of serious violations;
inform relevant institutions (e.g., the author’s affiliated organization) in cases of misconduct;
impose temporary or permanent restrictions on further submissions from authors who have committed violations.
5. Notification of Parties
The decision of the editorial board is communicated to the complainant and other involved parties within a reasonable timeframe.
6. Timeframe
Complaints are handled as promptly as possible, typically within 2–4 weeks, depending on the complexity of the case.
7. Confidentiality
The editorial board guarantees the confidentiality of all information obtained during the complaint handling process and does not disclose personal data without legal grounds.