Marek Belka, a former Polish finance minister earmarked to be his country's new prime minister, told the annual European Economic Summit that in 10-15 years former communist bloc countries had lived through changes "comparable to what people in the West have lived through in 100 years."

But he told the gathering, at which 45 countries were discussing the economic effect of EU enlargement, that much more would have to be done after Poland and nine other countries join the wealthy western bloc on Saturday.

"We are tired," he said. "We will grow four, five times faster than Western countries. We will catch up."

In order to join the EU, ex-communist countries have had to adopt tough economic reforms, including -- in the case of Poland -- slashing thousands of jobs in labour intensive but inefficient heavy industries such as coal and steel.

Belka said Poland also should push ahead with reforms needed to join the euro currency, which imposes limits on a country's spending, "as soon as possible."

"It is more dangerous to be outside than in," he said.

As Belka spoke some 2,000 anti-globalization protestors, according to a police count, gathered to march through Warsaw to protest the summit.

The numbers were well down on the 15,000 originally feared by police, who had enforced massive security measures.

"We have been told that busses with our friends have been stopped by police. They should still be joining us," said one of the protest's organizers, Maciek Wieczorkowski.

The security measures for the April 28-30 summit have left central Warsaw looking like a city under siege, patrolled by hundreds of police vehicles. A helicopter made constant overflights, parking lots were shut down for private cars, many stores closed and shop windows boarded up.

Earlier, police officials said some 13,500 officers would be on hand for the summit.