Bosnia's Serb Republic on Thursday pushed ahead with separatist reforms in violation of the country's constitution, and its pro-Russian leader Milorad Dodik publicly goaded state prosecutors one day after they issued a warrant for his arrest.

Bosnian officials are challenging a set of laws barring the state judiciary and police from operating in the part of the country controlled by the Bosnian Serbs, legislation that has fueled tensions in the ethnically-divided Balkan country.

Bosnia's state-level prosecutors issued arrest warrants for the entity of the Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik and two other officials, accusing them of anti-constitutional conduct. View on eu

The president of Bosnia's autonomous Serb Republic defied rulings by the international envoy to Bosnia, whose role is to prevent the multi-ethnic Balkan state slipping back into conflict.

Bosnian prosecutors have ordered the detention of three top Bosnian Serb officials over a series of separatist actions in recent weeks that have heightened tensions in the Balkan country.

Serb leader Milorad Dodik failed to answer a court summons for allegedly trying to undermine the constitution. He has dismissed the arrest warrant as politically motivated.

The State Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday, March 12, for the leader of the Serb separatists, Milorad Dodik, and his aides for ignoring a summons to court,

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Prosecutor ordered the summon of Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik and two of his close associates for allegedly attacking the country’s constitutional order, deepening tensions in the fragile Balkan state.