The Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy on Friday rejected the notion of a referendum on independence for Catalonia, responding to the Catalan's government's proposal to hold a referendum before September 2017.
"It is not possible to hold a referendum that will do away with national sovereignty and the equality of Spaniards," he was quoted by Reuters as saying at a news conference.
"This is not going anywhere, I'm offering something which is a lot more reasonable - dialogue," Mr Rajoy he added. "I ask that no more steps are taken in the opposite direction."
Catalan's regional government held an independence vote in September 2014, obtaining an overwhelming majority for independence.
Senior officials involved in the vote have faced sanctions and legal action however over their involvement.
