DUBLIN, May 1 (Xinhuanet) -- The Irish capital of Dublin has seen tight security on Saturday as the country is hosting a series of ceremonial events to mark the biggest expansion in the history of the European Union (EU)

    A total of 5,000 officers and more than 2,000 soldiers are involved in security operation as leaders of all EU member states are coming here for a formal ceremony to welcome 10 new EU members.

    As the current holder of the rotating EU presidency, Ireland will host a special flag raising ceremony at the presidential residence in Dublin later in the day, when heads of state and government from all 25 EU nations gather to celebrate the historicevent that will formally take in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia into the bloc.

    According to local reports, the Irish police and soldiers have been prepared to deal with potential clashes with about 250 anti-capitalist protesters who want to demonstrate against EU policies,including the bloc's plans to forge closer military cooperation, to clamp down on illegal immigration and to promote free trade worldwide.

    Reports quoted local police as saying that the demonstrators, who traveled to Dublin from neighboring countries, are expected totravel through the heart of the capital. But they might not get near to the meeting place of the flag raising ceremony.

    Roads surrounding the government residence for the ceremony have been closed to the public until Sunday and steel fencing has been erected around the meeting place. Enditem