Bosnian authorities on Thursday challenged several laws that bar state judiciary and police from operating in Serb-controlled areas.
The controversial legislation has exacerbated tensions in the ethnically divided Balkan state.
The complaint, filed with the country's Constitutional Court jointly by Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency member Denis Becirovic and two other officials, alleges that laws passed a week ago by Bosnian Serb politicians violate Bosnia's constitution and the peace agreement that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian war.
Bosnian Serbs adopted the controversial laws after a Bosnian court convicted Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russian president of the Serb entity in Bosnia known as Republika Srpska. Dodik was sentenced in absentia last month to a year in prison and a six-year ban from public office for his separatist activities.
Dodik, who is not under immediate arrest, said he intends to ignore the verdict, which will come into force after the appeal process.
Bosnian officials say the package of laws represents an attempted coup and a major step toward the breakup of the country advocated by the Bosnian Serb separatist leader.
Bosnia consists of two entities: one dominated by Bosnian Serbs and one ruled by Bosniaks, who are mostly Muslim, and Croats.
The Dayton peace accords, which ended the Bosnian war that claimed more than 100,000 lives, also stipulated that the entities would be bound by joint state institutions, including an army, a supreme judiciary and a tax administration.
Bosnia's rotating presidency consists of three representatives: Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats, and an international peace envoy has the power to change laws and make decisions in Bosnia.
Dodik was convicted of disobeying decisions by High Representative Christian Schmidt aimed at curbing Bosnian Serb aspirations for independence.
Dodik has repeatedly advocated secession of the Serbian part of Bosnia to join neighboring Serbia, which led to sanctions from the previous US administration against him and his closest allies. Dodik has received support from Russia in his political activities.
The adoption of the new laws has raised concerns about possible incidents between rival Serbian and central Bosnian police forces.
The war in Bosnia began when the country's Serbs rebelled against
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
