Lithuania respects and supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Kingdom of Spain, the Baltic country's foreign ministry said in a Saturday statement on the situation in Spain's Catalonia.

"We invite the Spanish Government and its institutions to seek a constitutional solution through constructive dialogue in compliance with its national legislation," said the statement.

"Lithuania and Spain are bound by friendly bilateral relations. Spain is an important ally of Lithuania both in the European Union and NATO," it added.

The Spanish government stripped the region of its autonomy after its controversial independence vote in parliament Friday, effectively taking charge of its government.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced the dissolution of the regional parliament and the removal of the Catalan leader, with an official state bulletin handing control of Catalonia to Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria.

Snap elections were called in the region, which also saw its most senior police officials dismissed and demonstrations for and against independence running on into the night.