KIEV, May 24 (RIA Novosti) - Thousands of people gathered in the center of the Ukrainian capital Wednesday to protest an increase in prices for natural gas.

The national commission for electricity regulation raised consumer tariffs for gas and electricity by 25% starting May 1.

A rally organized by local trade unions will begin at 11:00 a.m. local time (8:00 a.m. GMT) on Kiev's Independence Square, best known as the scene of the 2004 "orange revolution."

Ukraine, which was involved in a bitter spat over gas prices with Russia at the beginning of 2006, is currently paying $95 per 1,000 cu m for gas, but Moscow has said the price may be raised in the future.