The editorial board of the journal adheres to the principles of academic integrity, objectivity, impartiality and transparency in its publishing activities. All complaints regarding possible violations of academic integrity and publication ethics are considered in accordance with this procedure.

Grounds for filing a complaint

Complaints may be filed if signs of the following are detected:

• plagiarism, self-plagiarism, fabrication or falsification of data;
• violation of copyright;
• failure to comply with the principles of honest authorship (hidden authorship, guest authorship, etc.);
• conflict of interest not declared by authors, reviewers or editors;
• unethical behaviour during the review process;
• other violations of the norms of academic integrity and publication ethics.

Filing a complaint

Complaints should be submitted in writing to the journal's editorial office (by email or through the official communication channels specified on the journal's website) and must contain the following:

• a clear description of the nature of the violation;
• a link to the relevant publication or materials;
• justification of the complaint with evidence (if available);
• contact details of the complainant.

Anonymous complaints will only be considered if there is sufficient evidence.

Initial review of the complaint

The editorial board carries out an initial review of the complaint to:

• establish whether it is within the scope of consideration;
• assess the completeness and validity of the information provided.

If necessary, the editorial board may request additional information or clarifications.

Investigation and expert assessment

If the grounds for considering the complaint are confirmed:

• the editorial board will initiate an internal investigation;
• members of the editorial board, independent experts or reviewers may be involved;
• authors (and/or other interested parties) are given the opportunity to provide written explanations.

The review is carried out in compliance with the principles of confidentiality and impartiality.

Principles of reviewing complaints

When considering complaints and/or appeals, the journal's editorial board adheres to the following principles:

• mutual respect for all participants in the editorial process and the presumption of their proper and conscientious behaviour until proven otherwise;
• providing all interested parties with the right to present arguments in support of or in opposition to the stated claims;
• due notification of participants in the editorial process regarding the receipt and consideration of an appeal that may violate their rights and/or interests;
• resolving any dispute by seeking a compromise and a fair solution.

Decision-making

Based on the results of the consideration, the editorial board adopts a reasoned decision, which may include:

• absence of a violation;
• a requirement for the author to remedy the violations;
• refusal to publish the manuscript;
• retraction of the published article;
• notification of the institution with which the author is associated in the event of significant violations.