A row is brewing in Hungary over alleged links between a new youth movement called Xenia-Laz and organised crime. The movement has denied there's anything wrong, but following the publication of a spate of media reports, the opposition party is gathering signatutres in Parliament for the establishment of a committee to investigate the affair. Nick Thorpe reports from Budapest:

There's probably not a school child in Hungary who doesn't know the name Xenia-Laz or Xenia Fever -- a new club for teenagers which brings together fast food, pop music and the teaching of science in schools. Only two years old, its membership has already eclipsed that of the Boy Scouts and of Young Pioneers, the childrens' organisation of the former Communist Party.

Based around a popular 160-episode sci-fi television series called Urgamma the club encourages its members to get one grade higher marks in maths, biology, chemistry and physics. Local meetings are held in fast-food restaurants and national meetings in sports stadia with the blessing, and sometimes the attendance of senior politicians.

But is the fever, Xenia fever, a healthy one? The commercial exploitation of the 10 to 14-year-olds who form the bulk of the club's membership has been the main concern of critics so far. The club has tried to launch a new energy drink and parents were shocked to find that their children had been sent detailed questionnaires about their family lives.

No-one disputes the close connection between the leaders of the club and the ruling Socialist Party. But a two-page article published recently in Nepszabadsag, Hungary's biggest circulation quality daily, goes on to allege close links between the club's leaders and Hungary's criminal underworld.

These links have been strenuously denied by the club but the main opposition parties have now agreed to the need for an investigative committee to be set up by Parliament. They expect to have the necessary 78 signatures by next Monday.