Editorial comment on the editorial policy of SEEJPH with reference to the 

comments by Bjegovic-Mikanovic & Marinkovic, and by Jankovic 
 

Ulrich Laaser, co-editor, SEEJPH  

 

 

As one of the editors of SEEJPH, I welcome the discussion on the paper by Jerliu et al. It 

demonstrates the vitality of the new journal. Nevertheless, I believe that a scientific journal 

does not need to be politically correct, but rather scientifically accurate! Both criteria have 

been questioned with regard to the paper by Jerliu et al. in the comments of Bjegovic-

Mikanovic & Marinkovic and of Jankovic. Whereas I admit that we as editors were not 

sufficiently aware of the political context when the paper was published on October 31
st
, 

2013
1
, we rather left it to the authors to take responsibility for political correctness regarding 

the status of Kosovo according to the UNSCR
2
. One of us, Prof. Slavenka Jankovic together 

with her colleagues from Serbia clearly marked this deficit in their recent comments and even 

more the reference to Independence of Kosovo in the title, which was declared unilaterally on 

February 17
th

, 2008, however judged not to violate international law by the International 

Court of Justice (1). The Journal of course obeys to the political framework set by UNSCR, 

ICJ and the Brussels Agreement (2) and in the future we will take care of the proper 

designation of Kosovo. 

Much more relevant I consider the scientific critique on the paper. This is in my view most 

welcome and, as far as I understand the issues raised, widely justified. The Kosovo was one 

of the least developed regions in the former Yugoslavia and it underwent a positive 

development in most health indicators between the fifties and the eighties of the last century. 

Although our criteria for reviews laid out in the section on instructions for authors are not 

fulfilled completely in all categories, nevertheless the reviewers accepted the paper in the 

early development phase of the journal. We always strive to improve the rigidity of our 

reviewers’ work and, therefore, I welcome the critique by Prof. Slavenka Jankovic from a 

scientific point of view. It is essential to raise our standards and to enhance the quality of 

SEEJPH. 

 

 

References  

1. International Court of Justice. Accordance with International Law of the Unilateral 
Declaration of Independence in Respect of Kosovo, Advisory Opinion. I.C.J. Reports 

2010, p.403. Available at: http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/141/15987.pdf 

(accessed: May 01, 2014). 

2. The Brussels Agreement of 2013. Available at: 
http://eeas.europa.eu/top_stories/2013/190413__eu-facilitated_dialogue_en.htm 

(accessed: May 01, 2014). 
 

 

 

 

                                                           
1
 The decision to publish the paper by Jerliu at al. was reconfirmed by all editors in writing including Prof. 

Slavenka Jankovic (by email of 26 February 2014) 
2
 This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ 

Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence”. http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/countries/detailed-

country-information/kosovo/.