title: Spain will not rule out exceptional measures over Catalonia
text: MADRID (Reuters) - Spain s central government can not rule out taking  exceptional measures  over the region of Catalonia s plans to hold a referendum on independence from the rest of the country, a vote Madrid says is illegal, the spokesman said on Friday.  The government does not rule anything out. We are acting firmly to ensure the rights and liberties of everyone and will react to whatever the secessionists do,  the government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo said. The northeastern region has clashed with the central government in Madrid over its attempts to hold a referendum on whether it should split from the rest of the country. 