[2] In November 2019, Kovalkova announced her intention to run for President of Belarus at the next election.

[9] On 20 August 2020, Alexander Konyuk, the Prosecutor-General of Belarus, initiated criminal proceedings against the members of the Coordination Council under Article 361 of the Belarusian Criminal Code on the grounds of attempting to seize state power and harming national security.

[10][11] On 24 August 2020, Kovalkova and fellow presidium member, Sergei Dylevsky, were detained by the security services whilst attempting to support striking workers at the Minsk Tractor Works factory.

[15][16][17][18] On September 5, 2020, KGB officers took Olga Kovalka to the border with Poland, where she passed control and left Belarus.

[22] In December 2020, Kovalkova was named among the representatives of the Democratic Belarusian opposition honored with the Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament.