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GOLIKOVA, Tatyana Alexeyevna

Minister of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation

Tatyana Golikova (Татьяна Алексеевна Голикова) was born on February 9, 1966 in Mytishchi, Moscow Region.

In 1987 she graduated from the Plekhanov Moscow Institute of National Economy (now the Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics), with a specialization as a labor economist and subsequently began to work as a junior researcher in the wages' department of the scientific-research institute of labor for Goskomtrud (State Labor Committee) of the Soviet Union. In 1990 Golikova transferred to the Ministry of Finance, became first category economist and was later made chief economist of the summarizing department of the state budget in the Russian Soviet Republic Ministry of Finance.

In 1992 Golikova became assistant chief economist, then chief economist, then from 1995 head of the section of budgetary policy and analysis at the budget department of the Ministry of Finance of Russia. In fact, from 1992 to 2007 Golikova was actively engaged in the development of the country's budget. In 1995 she was appointed Deputy Chief of the budget department and headed the summarizing department of the consolidated budget of the Ministry for Finance. From 1996 to 1998 Golikova was Deputy Chief of the budget department of the ministry.

From April to August 1998 Golikova was chief of the budget department of the Ministry of Finance. She was also on the main board of the ministry. She held this post until July 2002. In 2001 she was awarded the medal of honor "For Services to the Fatherland" of the 2nd Degree for her contributions within the ministry.

In 2002 Golikova was named first deputy minister of finance. Media sources pointed out that despite her age (Golikova was 36 years' old at the time of the appointment) she proved to be a qualified specialist, dedicating herself entirely to her work. Her colleagues at the ministry spoke of how Golikova could memorize every figure from the federal budget. For her tireless engagement in budgetary matters she earned the nicknames "Budget Queen" and "Miss Budget". Despite this, in April 2004 Golikova was demoted to deputy minister of finance. No reasons for this decision were reported.

In 2004 and 2005 Golikova was noted for her support for the implementation of monetizing benefits. The process of monetization incited a negative response around Russia. In the winter to spring of 2005 a series of impromptu oppositional mass meetings in connection with the law reform on monetization took place but were ineffective to preventing the adoption of the new law.

In June 2006, when the Minister of Finance Alexei Kudrin presented the 2007 budget to the government, Golikova showed her support and defended the inviolability of the Stabilization Fund. The head of the Ministry of Finance reminded opponents of the necessity to constrain expenses and fight inflation, while advocating a decrease in spending and an increase in the resources of the fund. Golikova explained that necessary resources for various branches can be found at the expense of the resources from budgetary planning. In the end both the government and the State Duma approved of the content of the budget.

On September 24, 2007 Golikova was appointed Minister of Health and Social Development under Viktor Zubkov's government, replacing the outgoing Mikhail Zurabov.

On May 12, 2008 Golikova was reappointed Minister of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation under Vladimir Putin's cabinet.

Golikova is the second wife of Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Khristenko.

Apart from her aforementioned medal of honor, Golikova has also been bestowed with the medal "For Services to the Fatherland" of the 1st Degree (2004), the Medal of Honor (in February 2006, for her contributions in the preparation and undertaking of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War {World War II}) and the Medal of Friendship (in November 2006).

Related Sources

Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, Home Webpage (In Russian)

Last updated July 7, 2008