The peer-reviewed scholarly journal “Obraz” follows internationally recognized principles for identifying and managing conflicts of interest within the triad Author – Reviewer – Editorial Board.

Public trust in the objectivity of the peer-review process and the quality of published articles largely depends on how effectively potential conflicts of interest are identified and addressed during the review process and the editorial decision-making regarding publication.

A conflict of interest may arise when an author, reviewer, member of the editorial board, or editorial staff member has any relationship or connection that could influence, or appear to influence, decisions related to the evaluation or publication of a manuscript.

Conflicts of interest may arise from professional, financial, institutional, or personal relationships, including employment relations, family ties, financial involvement, academic competition, or personal sympathies and antipathies.

Authors are required to disclose any conflicts of interest that could influence the presentation or interpretation of research results, including:

• financial interests (employment, memberships, consultancies, grants, licensing agreements, etc.);
• non-financial interests (institutional affiliations, professional relationships, and/or personal connections).

If any conflict of interest exists, the author must disclose it during manuscript submission, and a reviewer must decline the review if a conflict may compromise objectivity.

Authors should also indicate the role of sponsors (if any) in conducting the research, preparing the manuscript, and approving the submission for publication.

The editor is responsible for selecting reviewers who have no conflicts of interest with the authors. To ensure this, the editor may compare institutional affiliations, verify the absence of joint publications in international databases, and check participation in joint research projects. If any conflict of interest is identified, the editor must assign another independent and impartial reviewer.

If a member of the editorial board is an author or co-author of a manuscript, this does not exempt the submission from undergoing a thorough review for compliance with the journal’s content and formatting requirements and policies. Independent experts are invited to conduct the editorial evaluation and peer review of such manuscripts. If, in accordance with the double-blind peer review procedure, the article receives favorable evaluations and recommendations, the final decision on publication is made by the Editor-in-Chief or, if necessary, by the Deputy Editor-in-Chief. 

The editorial office requires all authors and reviewers to submit a declaration of any existing or potential conflicts of interest that may influence the submission, review, or editorial decision-making process.