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Spain's justice minister Rafael Catala has stated that Catalonia's regional President Carles Puigdmont cannot solve the ongoing crisis by calling regional elections.

The Justice Minister made this statement on Tuesday during a radio interview after reports emerged that the regional President was looking to call for elections ahead of Spain's plans to impose direct rule on Catalonia.

The Spanish parliament plans to vote to implement direct rule on Friday.

"When the government proposes an option so extreme as article 155 (powers) it's because we believe that there has been a serious failure by Puigdemont to meet his obligations," Justice Minister Rafael Catala said during a radio interview.

"Everything is not fixed just by calling an election."

The government has refused to meet with the Catalan leader until he drops the call for independence, however, and Catala said any appearance by Puigdemont had to be within a legal and constitutional framework.

"If his appearance is within the constitution and the law ... and we'd love that to be the case. But if it's just to ratify his position on Catalonia's independence, sadly we can just continue with the measures already set by the government," Catala said.