Former Socialist MP Ivanna Koksal is running as an independent for governor of Gagauzia in the November 15 election. Drawing on her experience in Gagauzia’s public administration and two terms in Parliament, she aims to create conditions that encourage young people to stay in Gagauzia, support rural development, and strengthen respect for the autonomous territorial unit’s special status, IPN reports.

This material is part of a series of articles in which IPN presents biographical data, information on income and assets, as well as the professional experience of the candidates for the position of Bashkan of Gagauzia.

Ivanna Koksal is 48 years old and comes from the village of Cazaclia in Ceadar-Lunga. In 2000, she graduated from the Faculty of Philology at Comrat State University. Over the course of her career, she has worked in journalism, directing and translation. She currently works for the charity “Ajutor oamenilor”, where she coordinates humanitarian, social and cultural projects.

Her political career began in the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia, to which she was elected in 2008 and 2016, running as an independent in the Cazaclia constituency on both occasions. From June to November 2016, she also served as editor-in-chief of the public broadcaster Gagauziya Radio Televizionu.

In 2019, Ivanna Koksal was elected to the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova on the Party of Socialists’ list. She was re-elected in 2021 on the Electoral Bloc of Communists and Socialists’ list. During her time in Parliament, she served as secretary of the Committee on Public Administration and Regional Development.

Koksal announced her candidacy for the post of Bashkan on September 30. Earlier, the leadership of the Party of Socialists had considered two potential candidates for the election: Ivanna Koksal and former MP Fiodor Gagauz. The party ultimately decided to back Gagauz. Koksal, herself a former MP, criticized the selection process, saying she had neither sought the PSRM’s support nor consented to having her candidacy considered.

According to her declaration of assets and personal interests for 2025, Ivanna Koksal earned approximately 291,000 lei in salary from Parliament and received around 251,000 lei in allowances. She also declared 582,000 lei from the sale of an apartment.

The candidate’s husband reported salary income of approximately 3.1 million Turkish lira and 8,300 US dollars from his Ankara-based company, “Idil Prodüksiyon Insaat elektronik ODTLS”.

The asset declaration lists 104 plots of agricultural land purchased between 2008 and 2021, with no values specified. The candidate also owns a 0.13-hectare plot within a built-up area and a 25.6-square-metre property. Since 2025, she has also been using a 130-square-metre home with the owner’s consent.

Under movable assets, Koksal declared a car valued at approximately €40,000. She holds around 325,000 lei and nearly €40,000 in three bank accounts. The candidate also fully owns a family farm in Cazaclia, while her husband’s company in Turkey is also listed in her asset declaration.

Ivanna Koksal is listed sixth on the ballot.

The election for the position of Bashkan, in which eight candidates are participating, will take place on November 15, on the same day as the election for the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia.