Turkey's Islamist-rooted ruling party has warned the secular military that it is subject to its control after it commented on its choice for president.
"The chief of the general staff is answerable to the prime minister," said justice minister Cemil Cicek.
Mr Cicek said the army's intervention - it vowed to defend secularism - was "inconceivable in a democratic state".
The European Union earlier warned the army, which has carried out coups in the past, not to interfere in politics.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the controversy was a test case for the military to respect democracy.
In a statement after a disputed vote by MPs on a new president on Friday, the army had said it would defend Turkey's secular system.
"I would like to underline that it is inconceivable in a democratic state based on the rule of law for the general staff, which remains under the orders of the prime minister, to speak out against the government," Mr Cicek told reporters on Saturday.
In the first round of voting, the ruling AK party's candidate, Abdullah Gul, had narrowly failed to win.
Mr Gul, who is also foreign minister, secured 357 votes - just 10 short of the 367, or two thirds of all deputies needed to win in the first round.
The main secular opposition party boycotted the vote and said it would challenge the election in court.
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