European leaders side with Spain amid brewing tensions over Catalonia

Spain's rich Catalonia autonomous region held a referendum on self-determination on Oct. 1, which had been declared illegal by the Spanish Constitutional Court.

Rajoy told reporters: "Spanish people were living a sad day when the lack of reason had gone over the head of the law," and that his government has begun "to adopt the measures against an inadmissible kidnapping of the rights of the majority of Catalan."

The application of Article 155 of the Spanish constitution, which suspends the autonomy of the Catalan region and hands control of key Catalan institutions to Madrid, was approved by the Spanish Senate on Friday afternoon.

Rajoy had earlier spoken from the corridors of the Senate to describe the independence declaration as a "crime."

"What has happened in the Catalan parliament shows how necessary it was to approve this article," said Rajoy.

After the Catalan parliament approved independence, the Spanish Constitutional Court accepted an appeal presented by the Catalan branch of the Socialist Party (PSC) against the validity of the declaration.

Madrid sources confirm that the Spanish government will appeal to the Constitutional Court against the Catalan declaration of independence.

The Spanish State Prosecutor will on Monday consider presenting accusations of "rebellion" against Puigdemont and his government, charges which could lead to a jail term of 15 to 30 years.