MADRID, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish government announced on Friday that it will take over all of the payments of essential services and wages from the Generalitat de Catalaluya (Catalan regional government) within 48 hours unless the leader of the Catalan assembly Carles Puigdemont agrees that not one euro of public funds will be used to finance the Oct. 1st independence referendum in the region.
The referendum and any acts to promote it have been deemed to be illegal by the Spanish Constitutional Court.
Friday's announcement was made by Spanish Treasury Minister, Cristobal Montoro in the press conference following the weekly cabinet meeting, saying that unless "the Generalitat approve this agreement of no availability, the Ministry will adopt it in their substitution."
Montoro described the control as "new," and added that he would explain the mechanism in the Spanish Congress in the coming week.
He added that he is also going to demand that banks in the Catalan region "avoid collaborating in the activities of the illegal referendum, as they already do against other criminal activities, such as money laundering."
"If there entities detect any payment or transfer linked to the October 1st referendum, they should communicate it to the Ministry," said Montoro.
Meanwhile Puigdemont, his deputy, Oriol Junqueras, the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau and the President of the Catalan Parlament, Carme Forcadell on Friday sent a letter to Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy and King Felipe VI requesting negotiations over the referendum.
The letter says that "not speaking is incompatible with the resolution of problems" and appeals for "dialogue with the Spanish government and especially with Mariano Rajoy; A call to speak about how we can agree on the way in which we can reach agreement for us Catalans to celebrate a referendum."
