Treasury Minister Cristóbal Montoro at a press conference in Madrid on March 30, 2017 | Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP via Getty Images Madrid to take control of Catalonia’s finances ‘Not one euro’ to go to Catalan independence referendum, Spanish minister says.

The Spanish government will partially take over Catalonia's finances to ensure "not one euro" goes toward organizing an independence referendum set for October 1, Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro announced Friday.

"Due to the situation of manifest illegality in Catalonia, [the government] has established a mechanism of payment to guarantee public services to the Catalans," Montoro said at a press conference.

The proposed measure would partially replace the Catalan government with the national government as the institution responsible for the disbursement of payments to education, health and social services, according to Barcelona-based newspaper La Vanguardia. "It is a new payment system," Montoro said. "It does not affect the powers devolved to the Catalan government." The finance minister also promised that state employees will continue to be paid on time.

The measure would also require Catalonia to report and seek approval from Madrid for any short-term debts incurred, which it will pay directly.

"We have taken this decision because we cannot have faith in some authorities who are going to go their own way," Montoro said, referring to the secessionist Catalan government. "What they are doing is not admissible. It is not legitimate nor is it assuring."

The system would be in place "during the time that this exceptional situation lasts," the finance minister added, to "prevent a situation in which the leaders of Catalonia hurt the citizens." Montoro gave the Catalan government 48 hours to accept Madrid's terms or he warned the Spanish government will take control of Catalonia's purse unilaterally.

The announcement comes in response to a letter by Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras, informing the Madrid government that Catalonia would no longer be sending weekly expense reports to Madrid as the October 1 referendum nears.

The Spanish government has maintained that the Catalan government's promise to hold an independence referendum is unconstitutional and illegal. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has repeatedly promised "there will not be a referendum."

The Catalan government's draft referendum bill stipulated that if a majority of Catalans vote for independence, Catalonia would secede within 48 hours of the result.

Montoro said he would appear in front of the Spanish parliament to explain the measure next week.