Any individual who identifies a potential violation in a manuscript published in the journal has the right to contact the Editor-in-Chief (kelenjeridze@eu.edu.ge) and request examination of the matter and appropriate action.
The complaint must include detailed information regarding the alleged violation, including:
Potential violations may include:
Complaints that are clearly unfounded, offensive, or submitted in bad faith may be rejected for consideration.
The Editor-in-Chief will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 7 working days.
During the review process, the author(s) will be informed of the complaint and allowed to submit a written response, additional information, or other relevant materials within 14 days.
A final decision will, where possible, be made within 30 calendar days of receipt of the complaint. In particularly complex cases, this period may be reasonably extended.
In cases of conflict of interest, the relevant individual will not participate in the review and decision-making process.
Based on the assessment of submitted materials, explanations, and evidence, the Editorial Board will make a decision.
Where necessary, appropriate editorial measures may be taken, including:
In applying such measures, the journal’s Code of Ethics and the Law and World Corrections and Retractions Policy will also be taken into account.
If no violation is confirmed, the process may be concluded without further action.
The parties will be notified of the decision in writing.
After the notification, parties have the right to request a review of the decision within 14 calendar days by submitting a reasoned written appeal.
For the purpose of reviewing an appeal, the Editorial Board may engage independent experts.
All complaints are handled with strict confidentiality. Information concerning all parties involved is protected to the extent compatible with ensuring a fair process and transparency in publication.
Information will be disclosed only where and to the extent necessary to ensure a fair, objective, and proper review.
Publicly available information may serve as a basis for initiating a review; however, decisions will be made solely on verified facts.
This policy shall be applied in conjunction with the journal’s Code of Ethics, Plagiarism Policy, Corrections and Retractions Policy, and other applicable editorial rules.
Any matters not explicitly addressed in this policy shall be considered in accordance with the guideline principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics and international standards of publication ethics.