In August 2019, after visiting people who had been abused and illegaly returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina, MEP Erik Marquardt gave an interview for the Croatian daily newspaper which was never published. The interviewer said this was due to editorial resistance. Deutche Welle asked for an explanation, and the newspaper said that the MEP "gravely accuses Croatian police and the Ministry of Interior of criminal activities, robbery and physical abuse of illegal migrants, without presenting any valid evidence, arguments or specific examples which would substantiate that".