Policy on Publications by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members

This policy has been developed in accordance with the recommendations of COPE, including the COPE Position Statement on Submissions by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members.

General Principles

The Editor-in-Chief and members of the editorial board have the right to submit manuscripts to the Journal. At the same time, such manuscripts are subject to an enhanced review procedure to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure transparency of the editorial process.

Procedure for Reviewing the Editor-in-Chief's Manuscripts

A manuscript submitted by the Editor-in-Chief is assigned to the Deputy Editor-in-Chief or another independent member of the editorial board, who assumes full responsibility as the handling editor for that manuscript. The Editor-in-Chief is fully excluded from decision-making regarding their own manuscript. Reviewers are appointed exclusively from among external specialists who are not affiliated with the publishing institution.

Procedure for Reviewing Editorial Board Members' Manuscripts

A manuscript submitted by a member of the editorial board is reviewed under the standard double-anonymized peer review procedure with the involvement of external reviewers. The author who is an editorial board member does not participate in the discussion or decision-making regarding their own manuscript. The decision to publish or reject is made by the Editor-in-Chief or an independent handling editor appointed by the Editor-in-Chief.

Documentation

All decisions regarding manuscripts submitted by the Editor-in-Chief and members of the editorial board are documented, indicating the handling editor and the reviewers.