Publication Ethics

The Editorial Board follows publication ethics and policies based on international standards established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These standards apply to editors, reviewers, authors, and the publisher at every stage, from submission to publication.

The journal is guided by the principles of integrity, independence, objectivity, fairness, transparency, tolerance, and professional competence.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that their submission constitutes original work.

All manuscripts are screened using specialised plagiarism detection software. Manuscripts with more than 20% similarity, excluding standard references, will be rejected. Proven plagiarism or data fabrication will result in rejection and a prohibition on future submissions.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI tools cannot be listed as authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the content.

Authors must clearly disclose any use of AI tools in the manuscript and specify their role in the Methodology or Acknowledgements section.

Double-Blind Peer Review and Confidentiality

The journal uses a double-blind review process to ensure fairness. Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. Reviewer and author identities remain concealed throughout the process.

Manuscripts and peer reviews are managed with strict confidentiality.

Conflict of Interest

All participants, including authors, reviewers, and editors, must disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect the objectivity of the research or review process.

Corrections and Retractions

The Editorial Board reserves the right to correct the record if errors are discovered after publication:

• Corrigendum: Issued for errors that do not affect the validity of the findings.
• Retraction: Issued for severe cases of misconduct, such as plagiarism or data fabrication, or for major errors that invalidate the results.

Ethics and Responsibilities

• Authors are responsible for ensuring their work is original, free from conflicts of interest, and properly cited.
• Reviewers are expected to maintain objectivity and fairness.
• The editorial team may reject or retract works if misconduct is found.

Journal metrics

• Number of published scientific articles (last 3 years):
• Average number of reviews per article:
• Average time from submission to publication:
• Citations:
• Other indicators:

Abstracting and indexing

Yearbook of UNWE is dedicated to increasing the global visibility and accessibility of its content. The journal is indexed in the following leading international databases and directories:

• ERIH PLUS
• CEEOL
• CrossRef
• RePec
• ECONBIZ
• Google Scholar
• ROAD
• SIS
• J-Gate

The journal is also included in the National Reference List of Contemporary Bulgarian Scientific Publications with Peer Review under ID No. 1493.