The alleged raping a Hungarian woman by a Libyan man last Saturday in Paceville has created tension between the Hungarian and Maltese governments, Hungarian media report.

The Hungarian government, in a press conference held yesterday, said that no official information was given to them by the Maltese authorities about the said case.

Hungarian Foreign Economic Relations Minister Péter Szijjártó (photo) said that Hungary “has not received any official information from Malta on a Hungarian citizen who was raped by a 26-year-old Libyan man from Tripoli.”

In the same press conference the Hungarian government called on Malta to investigate the incident and provide information on it.

Ezzedin Salem Elaoud, who lives in St Julian's, was kept in custody after he pleaded not guilty to the charge of raping the woman. He was also charged with attacking and slightly injuring her. The woman claimed the rape took place in Triq il-Wilga Paceville.

The court ordered that an expert analyses the woman's sobriety at the time of alleged offence. The Libyan was arrested on Saturday after police were called to the scene and informed that a bruised and bloodied Hungarian woman lay on the steps of an apartment block in at around 4am. The woman was later taken to Mater Dei Hospital to be treated for her injuries. She identified the accused as one of her alleged aggressors before he was arrested by police.