Novosibirsk’s regional governor Vladimir Gorodetsky has rescinded the decision for a 15 percent increase in utility charges, he announced on Wednesday morning. Instead, utility charges will rise by a mere 4 percent.

Gorodetsky stressed that his decision should not only be attributed to protests, but also to meetings with trade unions and the All-Russian Popular Front.

The governor is expected to meet with the public on Wednesday evening.

On March 19, a protest against rising utility charges took place in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk. Oppositionist leader Alexei Navalny was amongst the protesters, who numbered in the thousands.

The rally was the fifth consecutive protest of its kind following a decree to raise utility charges. A total of seven such events took place before the decision was revoked.