If this is true, it's an absolutely appalling situation. The sort of thing that I imagined only went on in the darkest of third world countries. I think most of us have been astounded at the level of Spanish controllers' salaries, but that is not the fault of the controllers. It sounds as though the government is doing what governments (in fact all management) do best - making a b@lls up and then blaming and punishing others as a smoke screen to hide its own incompetence. Don't you just love politicians!
Strangely though, I've just been coordinating traffic with a colleague at LECS and he seems full of good cheer.